WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015 SPORTS San Lorenzo defeat Estudiantes

BUENOS AIRES: Pablo Barrientos scored a and Corinthians of Brazil in the Libertadores stunning lob from almost halfway to seal a Cup, though it came against an Estudiantes 2-0 win for San Lorenzo over Estudiantes on side made up largely of reserves due to Monday, leaving Rosario Central as sole injuries. Estudiantes were also giving some leaders of the Argentine championship. players a rest ahead of their Libertadores Midfielder Sebastian Blanco put San Cup visit to Libertad in Paraguay tomorrow. Lorenzo ahead in the ninth minute of the At the top of the table, Central have a match in La Plata with his first goal for the maximum 12 points after Saturday’s 3-1 win club since arriving last year. at Olimpo, the highlight a hat-trick by strik- Barrientos then made sure of the victory er Marco Ruben. midway through the second half. The for- are two points behind after mer Catania midfielder executed a superb Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Colon in Santa Fe where lob from just inside the halfway line that substitute Dani Osvaldo missed three good had goalkeeper Agustin Silva scurrying chances to give his new team the three back frantically from the penalty spot in a points. “We left the pitch angry at the result, futile attempt to stop the ball going in not our game,” Osvaldo’s striker partner under the bar. “That was probably my best Jonathan Calleri told Fox Sports on Monday. goal ... Luckily the ball went in behind the “We must improve our finishing ... It was our goalkeeper,” the substitute said. It was a best match of the championship.” South timely win for San Lorenzo after home American champions San Lorenzo and defeats by modest San Juan in the league Estudiantes both have nine points. — Reuters

Preview Cahill: Chelsea buzzing ahead of return to PSG

LONDON: Chelsea are brimming with confi- itive experiences from that and try and build dence and, fortified by a seven-day break, momentum for many more cup finals,” added go into today’s Champions League last-16 Cahill. “We are very proud of winning our first return match as favourites to knock Paris St trophy as a group together and getting that Germain out for the second season in a row. win at West Ham. But they are gone, all that is Defender says “there’s a great on our minds now is the PSG game.” : United’s (right) falls following a challenge by Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal during the English FA Cup buzz” around Stamford Bridge after the Zlatan Ibrahimovic was missing through quarterfinal soccer match. — AP Londoners followed their 2-0 League Cup injury when PSG were beaten on away goals final victory over Tottenham Hotspur on by Chelsea in last season’s quarter-finals but March 1 by winning 1-0 at West Ham United the French club’s talismanic striker is fit this in the three days later. Treble- time round. Welbeck sinks United chasing Chelsea, who are five points clear at Last month’s first leg in Paris ended in a 1- the top of the Premier League, have not 1 draw and visiting coach Laurent Blanc MANCHESTER: Discarded striker Danny much joy on his first return to Old Trafford since WEMBLEY DATE played since their Upton Park triumph and, wants his attack to be more ruthless than Welbeck returned to demolish Manchester his 16 million pounds (24.20 million) switch. With a Wembley semi-final against second according to Cahill, the Wembley win over they were during Saturday’s 4-1 victory over United’s hopes of silverware by netting the win- But he produced the game’s decisive tier Reading or third tier Bradford City to come Spurs has lifted the squad’s self-belief to new struggling RC Lens in Ligue 1. “When you play ner in Arsenal’s 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final victory moment with a helping hand from United’s next month, Arsenal are favourites to retain the heights. “The Cup final was huge in terms of a game like the one against Lens you must be at Old Trafford on Monday. England interna- bungling defence. trophy and claim a record 12th FA Cup. the atmosphere around the club and the efficient,” said Blanc who criticised Argentine tional Welbeck, who joined the Londoners in There seemed little danger as a high ball Liverpool will have other ideas, although they dressing room,” he told the club website forward Ezequiel Lavezzi for wasting an September after his United career stalled, was pumped forward but Phil Jones elected to must win a replay against Blackburn Rovers to (www.chelseafc.com). opportunity in front of an open goal. “If he pounced on a horrendous back pass by chest the ball to Valencia who wafted a weak book a semi-final spot against Premier League “We were desperate as a squad to win that misses the same chance at Stamford Bridge I in the 61st minute to send the pass in the direction of keeper . It rivals Aston Villa. game. It’s the first time this group, a newish won’t be the only one who is not happy.” PSG holders through. never stood a chance and Welbeck clipped the A lively start to the game saw Marouane group formed at the start of last season and will be without injured forward Lucas but fel- In a rip-roaring first half Nacho Monreal’s ball round the Spaniard and rolled it into an Fellaini squander a chance for United before before this season, has reached the end of a low Brazilian returns to Chelsea for cool finish put Arsenal ahead in the 26th empty net. “We had to start without apprehen- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlian carved open the competition together. “We came through it the first time since moving to Paris in the minute but ’s diving header sion and play at a high pace and we did that home defence with a mazy dribble to tee up really well and hopefully we can take the pos- close season. — Reuters evened it up three minutes later. well,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, Montreal. With fellow countryman De Gea to United, who will now ponder a second con- who admitted in the build-up that he was still beat, the left back poked an effort inside the secutive season without a trophy in the wake of haunted by a 1999 FA Cup semi-final defeat by near post. manager Alex Ferguson’s retirement, ended the United. The lead lasted three minutes with Rooney, match with 10 men after Angel Di Maria was “, I believe is just happy to who has still not won the FA Cup, heading in Di red-carded for grabbing the referee’s shirt just score. He worked extremely hard today and Maria’s pinpoint cross. United struggled after the seconds after being booked for diving. deserved his goal.” It was Arsenal’s first FA Cup break and Arsenal could have won by a bigger Welbeck had managed only two goals for win over United since the 2005 final and their margin with and Alexis Sanchez Arsenal since October and was not having first in any competition since May 2011. both denied by the superb De Gea. — Reuters Strong league to fuel Qatar’s Asia ambition

DUBAI: Qatar’s soccer league chief hopes a close alliance with the national team can help the country improve its international per- formance following a disappointing Asian Cup this year. The energy exporter is the world’s richest LONDON: Chelsea’s Ivorian striker Didier Drogba (second right) controls the ball dur- country per capita and has used its dizzying ing a training session at Chelsea’s training ground ahead of their UEFA Champions wealth to become a major force in soccer - at League, round of 16, second leg football match against Paris Saint Germain. — AFP least off the pitch. Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup, its rich- Preview es have propelled Paris Saint Germain into Europe’s club elite and broadcaster BeIn Sports has bought the rights to many of soc- Bayern ready for cer’s major competitions. On-field success has proved more elusive for a country where less than a fifth of the 2.3 crunch clash million population are thought to be locals and Qatar’s FIFA world ranking of 109 reflects its toils at January’s Asian Cup where it lost all BERLIN: Bayern Munich go into their They (Shakhtar) have extremely quick forwards three group matches. Champions League last-16 second leg at home and we cannot allow them to make their runs,” “It’s very important for us to become a con- to Shakhtar Donetsk today knowing the game said the Spaniard. Bayern, five-time European sistent football force in Asia, which we’re real- will make or break their season. champions, need to win to advance over 90 ly striving to be,” Qatar Stars League chief Bayern are runaway Bundesliga leaders and minutes, with a score draw sending the executive Hani Taleb Ballan told Reuters. also reached the German Cup quarter-finals last Ukrainians through after their goalless first leg week, but anything short of lifting Europe’s last month. “Until now we haven’t achieved that, so it’s biggest club crown will be considered a failure The Bavarians are still odds-on favorites to normal to see us sometimes lose. We as a for Germany’s wealthiest team. “This match is a progress, having won all their previous home league should be a strong tool to support the national team.” Ballan said Qatar’s aim was to ITALY: Juventus’ forward from Spain (left) fights for the ball with final for us,” coach Pep Guardiola told reporters games in the group stage this season without Sassuolo’s defender Federico Peluso during their football match. — AFP after Bayern’s 3-1 win at Hanover 96 in the conceding a goal. Bayern’s domestic form has be among Asia’s top four from its current 13th league on Saturday. “Only one thing matters and been equally impressive, having scored an eye- position. that is to win. “We know what we have to do. popping 21 goals in their last four league He hopes the league’s innovations can sup- games. “Against many opponents it is us who Juventus go 11 port that ambition, with all 11 starters in are the favourites and that is justified,” said cap- Qatar’s final Asian Cup group match playing tain Philipp Lahm, who will miss the game after breaking his ankle late last year. for domestic teams. Six of those were foreign-born. The league points clear “So it is also up to us and our own perform- ances to make sure we can count ourselves claims to be the only domestic competition to provide free Prozone performance analysis to among the top teams or not,” he told Kicker MILAN: Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba scored a hopes took a hefty blow as they dropped four magazine. “Bayern have to advance because we clubs, while club licences require them to sublime goal to break Sassuolo’s determined points behind their opponents in joint fifth, were want to belong to Europe’s elite.” Guardiola will have at least four youth teams, a reserve team be without the experienced Xabi Alonso, who is resistance and give his side a 1-0 win which sent unrecognisable from the team that won 2-1 at and highly-trained coaches. them 11 points clear at the top of Serie A and Juventus in the Italian Cup on Thursday. The top suspended after his red card in the first leg, but “We’re trying to improve the professional- he could have defender Medhi Benatia, back closer to a fourth successive title on Monday. two qualify for the Champions League group from injury, in the squad. ism by supporting clubs technically,” said Veteran striker Miroslav Klose helped himself stage and the third-placed club go into the final Ballan. “Coaching is quite independent, but to two goals as Lazio crushed Fiorentina 4-0 in playoff round. STRONG DISCIPLINE we can control certification of coaching.” the other game, a result that boosted their Argentina midfielder Biglia began the rout The odds are stacked against Shakhtar, Qatar qualified for FIFA’s 2015 under-20 chances of reaching next season’s Champions when he volleyed home from the edge of the whose season only started at the end of last World Cup after winning last year’s Asian League. Juventus struggled to break down penalty area after six minutes. Lazio then missed month, said coach Mircea Lucescu. under-19 championship and Ballan hopes the Sassuolo for 82 minutes and appeared to be run- a flurry of chances but it was all over when “We will be playing against a very strong bulk of this side will be turning out in 2022. ning out of ideas until Pogba, who himself had Nenad Tomovic tripped Felipe Anderson and club. In my opinion Bayern are the world’s “It’s a good team ... there are players in the just been booked after showing signs of frustra- Candreva converted the penalty before being strongest football team at the moment,” the under-17 team with very good potential and tion, broke the deadlock. booked for a shirtless celebration in the 65th Romanian said. The Frenchman, showing superb control, col- minute. “We have to respond to their extraordinary a mixture of the two will be a great combina- tion,” he said. lected Simone Pepe’s pass and, without breaking The third goal started from a Fiorentina free tactical discipline with equally strong tactical stride, volleyed past from the kick at the other end of the pitch. Matias discipline.” He said the Ukrainians were at a dis- Qatar’s clubs have struggled in the Asian advantage with their league only just underway. Champions League. Al Sadd lifted the trophy edge of the area with his second touch.The win Fernandez gave the ball straight to a Lazio “They have an advantage on us on that mat- in 2011, but the country’s clubs have reached took Juventus onto 61 points from 26 games, defender who set Candreva clear on the right ter. Their team is also superior to ours, but foot- the quarter-finals just twice this decade. After while fading AS Roma, who are second, have 50 and, although his shot was saved by Norberto GERMANY: Bayern Munich’s French mid- after their goalless draw at Chievo on Sunday. Neto, Klose headed in the rebound. ball does not follow logical rules. In football, two games of this year’s competition, fielder Franck Ribery gestures during a Lucas Biglia set Lazio on their way and an The 36-year-old German also grabbed the anything can happen,” he said. Lekhwiya lie bottom of Group A, while Al training session on the eve of the UEFA Defensive midfielder Taras Stepanenko is Antonio Candreva penalty put them in complete fourth at the second attempt after his initial Champions League second leg round of back following suspension for Shakhtar who are Sadd top Group C on four points. “I’m very control as they went joint third with Napoli on 46 effort was stopped by Neto, his eighth league sixteen football match against Shaktar unbeaten in seven straight games in all compe- optimistic Al Sadd and Lekhwiya will qualify points. Fiorentina, whose Champions League goal of the season. — Reuters Donetsk. — AP titions. — Reuters for the next round,” added Ballan. —Reuters